My long-awaited return to Boston finally came to fruition last weekend (with a possible repeat visit this weekend to execute a proper spring cleaning). I didn’t quite get around to scrubbing the floors because of all the fun I was having with Kira, who at long last cut her hair off and listened to what I’d been advising for almost two decades. It looks amazing, and has instilled a self-described new confidence in her life. (She’s already asking me to go skydiving with her.) While the weather outside was far from spring-like, we ventured forth undaunted. Too long had it been since we’d pounded the Boston pavement, and both of us were feeling a little stir-crazy. Still, there were moments of pause and rest, such as in this tea stop at the condo. After a snowy walk to the new Whole Foods Market deep in the South End, we stopped for a warming lunch of pho in Chinatown, then returned to the condo for a mid-afternoon siesta.
The importance of a breather in the midst of a long day cannot be overestimated. A lot of people assume my entire life is one long breather, but that’s because I work so hard to make it appear so effortless. It takes a lot more than tea to get through some days, but on the days when tea is enough, such as when I’m lucky to find myself in the company of a dear friend, it’s precisely what is needed. Especially when Boston just can’t move beyond the snow.
